Catch Me When I Fall
by Twilarose
Summary: This was supposed to be a happy time, where May and Drew could be together. But now... Everything's taken a turn for the worse, and they have no idea how to fix it. But as long as they have each other, everything will be okay.
1. A Wedding and a Disaster

**Chapter One**

The sun gleamed high over the Hoenn region, casting a warm glow of the beautiful land. The waters glittered from the rays, and succulent berries weighed down the trees. Torkoal lumbered up Mt. Chimney, while Volbeat and Illumise buzzed through the vast flowers fields near Vernanturf Town. A family of Zigzagoon raced through Petalburg Woods, disturbing a sleeping Slakoth. While wild Pokémon rested and played, a Beautifly soared through the sky. The sun danced off its rainbow wings, causing it to leave a trail of sparkles in its wake. A Butterfree raced up to join it, and the pair danced through the clouds. They mirrored each other's movements perfectly, weaving through a flock of Swellow before plummeting downward to Petalburg City.

They raced through the streets, attracting much attention from the civilians. All of Petalburg was bursting with excitement, and large groups were moving towards the Petalburg Gym. The Butterfree and Beautifly reached the gym before the crowd, and raced up the side of the building before they reached the window at the top. They swooped in, startling its occupant.

The room showed signs of belonging to a teenaged girl, and that its current purpose was to hold on to the memories that the girls left behind when she left home. Various photos were plastered to the walls: images of friends laughing by the water, and Pokémon napping in the sun. Boxes were piled up against the wall; it seemed as though the last of the room's contents were being shipped out.

A young woman of about twenty sat at a vanity in the corner. Her brown hair was pulled back from her face, revealing a pair of bright blue eyes. The Beautifly floated over to the woman, and Butterfree attempted to follow it. However, it met an unforeseen obstacle. Before the two butterfly Pokémon had entered the room, a Skitty had been dozing on the bed. Distracted by the bright colors on Butterfree's wings, Skitty leapt off the bed and attempted to bat the wings with its paws. Butterfree flew up to avoid the needle-like claws, but the pink and white Pokémon refused to give up, and chased it around the room.

Beautifly landed on top of the woman's head, and she smiled up at it. "Hey, Beautifly. I was wondering where you were." She looked over at the commotion being caused by Skitty and Butterfree. "Skitty! You stop that right now, shame on you!" Skitty let out a trill of laughter before resuming its original position on the bed.

The woman got up and walked over to Butterfree, her Beautifly still balanced on top of her head. She noticed that Butterfree had a note and a rose clutched in its claw-like paw. She smiled. "He sent you, didn't he?"

The Butterfree dropped its items into her hands and soared out the window, with Beautifly right behind it. The woman sat down on the edge of the bed and unfolded the note. The inside contained a single line:

_Are you ready?_

She smiled, and glanced at the rose she held in her left hand, and the ring that glittered on her finger. May whispered, "I'll always be ready to marry you, Drew."

* * *

><p>Behind the Petalburg Gym, it was a scene of chaos. People were rushing around, trying to figure out the last minute details for May and Drew's wedding. In charge of all the madness was Caroline, May's mother. She consulted her clipboard. "Okay, can someone help the guests find their seats? You two! Go make sure that the reception area is ready. Let's see… what else needs- NORMAN!"<p>

Her husband halted his crossing of the yard. "Yes, dear?"

Caroline stared at Norman, who was still wearing his red tracksuit. "What… what are you… why aren't you dressed?"

He glanced down, as if he just realized what he was wearing. "Oh. I was just on my way to-."

"Your daughter is getting married in an hour and you aren't even ready?"

"I told you, I'm about to go and-."

"Is May even ready? And where's Drew? Oh no! I forgot to tell Max that he needs to release the Pokémon when May comes down the aisle! Okay, I'll go check on May. You, get changed then go find Drew and Max and make sure that they-."

"Whoa, slow down!" Norman grabbed Caroline by the shoulders, stopping her rush to the house. "Stop and breathe for a second. Misty and Dawn have been upstairs helping May since this morning. Max is giving Drew a tour of the place, and you told Max last night what he has to do during the ceremony."

"I did?"

Norman smiled. "Just calm down, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

"How can I be calm? Our baby girl is getting married!" Caroline burst into tears.

Norman pulled his wife in for a hug. "I know, but that doesn't mean she still isn't our baby girl."

Caroline sniffed. "We're getting old."

Her husband laughed. "Look, why don't you go and see May for a bit? Everything's fine down here, and I'm sure she'd love to see you."

She glanced around. "Well, I guess I could take a break."

"Did you give May the you-know-what?"

"Hmm? Oh, thanks for reminding me! I'll go get it right away. Now please, get dressed."

Caroline dashed off towards the house, with Norman following at a slower pace. Today was an important day, filled with excitement and stress. Hopefully, all the trials would not prevent them from enjoying such a happy occasion.

* * *

><p>Caroline approached the door to May's old room, from which she could hear muffled laughter. She knocked, and silence fell. A singsong voice rang out, "Who is it?"<p>

"It's Caroline. May I come in?"

Giggling, the voice replied, "Do you know the password?"

"Come on, Dawn. Stop messing around and let her in." A different voice scolded.

The door was flung open, revealing a grinning Dawn. Her navy hair was curled and pinned up at the top of her head, and she was wearing a pink dress that floated down to her knees. "Hi, Ms. Caroline!"

"Hello, Dawn." Caroline entered the room and was immediately captivated by the sight of her daughter. May was sitting at her vanity, wearing a white bathrobe. She allowed her hair to grow since her days as a journeying teenager, and it was now twisted into a simple bun with small curls framing her face. Her makeup was simple and made her blue eyes appear brighter than usual.

Caroline could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Oh, May honey, you look so beautiful!"

May hugged her mother. "Stop it, or you'll make me cry too."

"Oh, no you don't!" Dawn cried, separating the pair. "Don't you dare ruin your makeup, May. I spent forever on it!"

Misty laughed. She had let her red hair down for the occasion, and it bounced on her shoulders. She was wearing a tight aquamarine dress with spaghetti straps that stopped mid-thigh. She pulled a white garment bag out of the closet. "Come on, May, let's see what you look like with your dress on."

The three women helped to ease May into her dress, and after fastening hooks and smoothing out creases, they stepped back to admire it. May had chosen a strapless gown with a heart-shaped bodice, and the skirt was full and made of a flowing, floaty material. It was simple, with no designs embroidered on it or excessive train, and it was perfect for May.

"You look gorgeous!" Dawn squealed, flinging her arms around her friend.

Misty smirked. "I can't wait to see Drew's face when you come down the aisle wearing that."

Dawn released May and turned back to the water Pokémon trainer. "Just think, Misty, it'll be your turn next!"

Misty rolled her eyes. "Please, it took Ash ten years to ask me out. Do you really think he's gonna ask me to marry him?"

"Well, anything's possible!"

Caroline laughed. "Alright girls, you better go and get some seats before the ceremony starts." The two said their good-byes and left. Caroline took May's face in her hands. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"I can't breathe."

Her mother laughed. "Don't worry, that's completely normal."

"Are you serious? Why do people do this to themselves?"

"Tell me something, May. Do you love Drew?"

"Of course!"

"Well, there's your answer." Caroline pulled out a slim black box. "Your father and I have something we want to give you."

"What is it?" May leaned forward and lifted the lid off the box. Inside was a pearl necklace. "Mom, they're beautiful!"

Caroline smiled. "Your father gave them to me when we were married. Now it's your turn." She fastened the pearls around May's neck. "Perfect. Now let's go, your father is waiting for us."

Caroline led May down the stairs where Norman was waiting, freshly showered and dressed. He smiled and extended his hand to May. "You look beautiful, princess."

May hugged him. "Thanks, Dad."

"Are you ready?"

"I… I think so."

"Alright then. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Max was leaning up against an archway, through which May would enter to marry Drew. He watched as his family approached, and grinned. "Lookin' good, May."<p>

"Shut up, Max."

"What? It was a compliment!"

"Come on, you two. Don't you dare start fighting now! Max, do you have what you need?"

Max pulled three Pokéballs out of his pocket. "I'm all set, Mom."

"Okay, I'm going to go get a seat." Caroline kissed May on the cheek. "Good luck, dear!"

She walked through the arch, leaving Norman, May, and Max by themselves. After a few moments of silence, Max asked his sister, "So, you nervous?"

"I'm gonna kill you."

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Max…" Norman warned.

"Now what did I do?"

"Why don't you release the Pokémon? They're probably getting ready to start."

"Sure, Dad." Max threw the Pokéballs up in the air. There were three flashes of white light, and Butterfree, Beautifly, and a Roserade appeared. Beautifly immediately went to May, and she hugged it.

"Hey, stop that!" Max tried to pry the two apart. "I don't need you messing up their concentration. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this lot to do what I say? Roserade still won't listen to me!"

"Well, of course not. It's Drew's Pokémon, not yours." May leaned over to talk to the grass Pokémon. "Hey, Roserade? Can you do what Max says, just for today? It would mean a lot to me and Drew."

"_Rose_!" Roserade nodded and with a wave of its arms, it produced a bouquet of bright red roses and handed them to May.

"Roserade, they're lovely! Thank you!" May accepted the flowers. Suddenly, music began to play on the other side of the arch. "Oh no. Oh no no no no no."

"Roserade, use Petal Dance!" Max commanded. Immediately the air was full of pink petals slowly making their way to the ground.

"Are you okay, May?" Norman asked.

"Yeah, just… give me a second."

"Alright, Butterfree, Beautifly, fly through the petals!" The two bug Pokémon dove through an opening in the curtains that hid May from sight. "You're next, May."

"Okay. I can do this. I can do this." May took a deep breath, and allowed Norman to lead her through the archway.

Everyone stood when May entered, turning their beaming faces towards her. They were all friends May and Drew had met on their journeys. In the back stood their Pokémon, who were allowed out of their Pokéballs so that they could witness the unification of their trainers. May didn't pay notice any of that. All of her attention was on Drew.

He was standing at the altar, his eyes wide as he took in May's appearance. She felt her cheeks grow hot, and it took all her willpower not to leave her father and run towards him. The aisle seemed to stretch for miles, and May felt as if she had been walking for hours until she finally reached Drew.

Drew accepted May's hand from Norman, and held it tight. He leaned in close to her and murmured, "You look perfect."

She laughed softly, and gazed into those green eyes that never failed to dazzle her.

Looking back, neither May nor Drew could remember much of the ceremony. They were barely aware of the mayor of Petalburg dictating their vows to them, or the guests' laughter when Munchlax broke the chair it was sitting on. They were too busying staring into each other's faces, and remembering all they had been through. When they first met at the Slateport City Pokémon Contest. Surviving Mirage Island. Traveling through Johto together. Their first kiss. Avoiding Harley's prying eyes. When they first said that they loved each other. The night Drew asked May to marry him.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Drew kissed his new wife, and the crowd rose to their feet and cheered. When they pair broke apart, neither one could stop smiling.

May and Drew were set upon by their guests, who bombarded them with hugs and congratulations. There were many familiar faces in the sea of well-wishers, but despite all the greetings from their friends, Drew never relinquished his hold on May's waist. They were one, from now until the end of eternity.

* * *

><p>The reception was held inside the Petalburg Gym. Norman had complained over the idea of converting his precious gym into a dance hall, but after much pleading from May and several threats from Caroline, he relented. All the guests were dancing and enjoying themselves, except for two sitting in the corner. A pair of young men sat at a table, watching the activities on the dance floor. A Pikachu sat on the table, cheerfully squirting ketchup onto a slice of wedding cake.<p>

The younger of the two turned to his companion. "So are you telling me that you asked every girl to dance, and they all rejected you?"

His friend groaned. "I swear, Ash, all these girls are crazy! I mean, I cook, I clean, and I'm great with kids. I'm perfect!"

"No, Brock. You're creepy."

Brock was about to protest, when he suddenly burst out laughing.

"What?" Ash followed Brock's gaze. After completely dousing its own slice of cake in ketchup, Pikachu decided that Ash's piece needed some of the red condiment. "Hey!" Ash snatched the bottle away from the yellow Pokémon.

"_Pika_!"

"No! Why would you put ketchup on my cake? I was gonna eat that!"

"_Pika, pikachu_." The electric mouse had tears in its eyes.

"Aw, come on, don't look at me like that."

"_Pika pi_."

Ash let out a long sigh. "Here." He tossed the ketchup back at Pikachu. It caught the bottle and proceeded to empty the contents into its open mouth. "Is this normal?"

Brock was trying to catch his breath. "Every Pokémon has its own preferences. My Crobat loves salad dressing, for some reason."

"Enough stalling." Ash leaned forward, and continued in a low voice. "What happened in Azalea Town?"

Brock rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you know how my brother Forrest is traveling through Johto, right? He told me that when he passed through Azalea Town last week, someone told him that Team Rocket performed a raid and made off with all their Pokémon."

"Didn't anyone try to stop them?"

"They couldn't, it all happened so fast."

"This is insane. Why would Team Rocket start acting up again?"

Brock leaned in. "It's not just Team Rocket. All the teams are becoming more active. Did you hear that Team Magma and Team Rocket are reforming?"

"Even after the Groudon/Kyogre incident?"

"Yeah, I guess some people just don't give up."

"What are you guys talking about?" Misty and Dawn reached the table, both pink faced and grinning from dancing. Misty turned to Ash. "Well?"

Ash pulled his girlfriend into the seat next to him. "Team Rocket raided Azalea Town last week."

"Oh no!" Dawn sat down as well. "Was everyone okay?"

Ash shrugged. "I don't think anyone was hurt, but they lost all their Pokémon."

Brock turned to the blue-haired Coordinator. "Dawn, has Team Galactic been up to any trouble?"

She had to think for a moment. "I'm not sure. You know I don't pay attention to that stuff. Why?"

"Well, Johto's having trouble with Team Rocket, and Team Aqua and Team Magma are getting back together. I was just wondering if Sinnoh was having problems, too."

"Okay, that's enough." Misty interrupted Dawn's reply. "This is a wedding; we shouldn't be talking about this."

"But Misty," Ash protested, "Pokémon are disappearing and-."

"I said that's enough, Ash!"

Silence fell momentarily. Then a new voice rang out. "Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it?"

The group turned to see a young woman making her way towards them. Her pink hair fell loose around her shoulders, and she was wearing a peach dress that went to her knees.

"Solidad!" Brock leapt to his feet and seized her hand. "At long last, my quest for true happiness is over. I need only gaze into your gorgeous eyes, and I find peace."

"Hi to you too, Brock." Solidad managed to pull her hand loose. "Ash, Misty, Dawn, it's great to see you!"

"You, too!" Dawn hugged her fellow Coordinator. "I didn't think you'd be able to make it."

"Did you really think I'd miss this?" Solidad turned to face the dance floor, where Drew was dancing with May. "I've known Drew for a long time, and I've never seen him as happy as when he's with May. Those two were made for each other." She turned back to the table. "Anyway, what are you four doing just sitting around? This is a party, come and dance!"

"Yes!" Brock pulled Solidad close to him. "Dance with me, my dear, and we shall find the path to true love."

"Okay…" Solidad allowed Brock to drag her away, a confused expression on her face.

Laughing, Misty turned to Ash. "So are you gonna dance with me or what?

Ash glanced at Pikachu, who was trying to squeeze the last of the ketchup out of the bottle. "But who's gonna watch Pikachu?"

"Go and have fun, Ash. I'll stay with Pikachu. It's not like I have anyone to dance with." Dawn pouted. She and Paul were taking a break in their on again/off again relationship, so she had come to the wedding by herself.

"Thanks, Dawn! You're the best!" The couple moved off.

Dawn sighed and rested her head on the table. Her friends found happiness in dancing with the ones they cared about, forgetting about the evil that was occurring in distant lands.

* * *

><p>The reception continued well into the night, and before long it was time for May and Drew's final dance. The floor cleared, and the guests stood back to watch the couple.<p>

Drew smiled down at his wife. "Enjoying yourself?"

May shrugged, smiling. "I guess. But I can think of something that would make today perfect."

"And what would that be?"

"This." May stood on her tiptoes and kissed Drew.

When they broke apart, Drew smirked. "Someone's in a good mood."

May let out a blissful sigh and pulled Drew closer to her. "I'm just… so happy. This is the best day of my life."

"Mine too."

"It's too bad your dad was too sick to make it."

Drew's grip on May's waist tightened momentarily. "Yeah, well, stuff happens."

"Maybe we could go see him after we get back from Fortune Island!"

"Hmm, I'm more interested in enjoying our honeymoon than what we're gonna do when it's over."

"Oh really?" May smiled mischievously up at him. "And what exactly do you plan on enjoying?"

"I'll show you." Drew leaned in to kiss May. It started as a simple show of affection, and grew in passion and desire. Even after the music stopped playing and the crowd began to cheer, they did not break apart.

Someone tapped Drew on the shoulder. "Excuse me, but are you done eating my sister's face?"

May broke away long enough to mutter, "Go away, Max" before allowing her lips to be recaptured by Drew's.

"Fine, if you guys wanna spend your honeymoon in Mom and Dad's basement, please continue!"

Drew pulled back and scowled at Max. "You're an annoying little kid, you know that?"

Max flung an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, we're brothers now! I'm supposed to be annoying."

"I'm thrilled." The couple allowed themselves to be escorted outside, where they were met with a surprising sight. Unbeknownst to them, Caroline and Norman had taken it upon themselves to rent a carriage to take May and Drew to the harbor. It was straight out of a fairy tale, and pulled by a flaming Rapidash.

Caroline came to stand behind May, who was lost for words. "Do you like it?"

"Mom, you did this? Thank you so much!" May gave her mother a hug.

"Have a good time, sweetie. Call us when you get there."

"Okay, Mom."

"Don't worry about the Pokémon, you two. We'll keep an eye on them 'til you get back."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Now go, or you'll miss your ship!"

Drew was helping May into the carriage when suddenly…

"_Blaziken_!"

Everyone turned to see the large fire Pokémon charging towards May. Drew and May had placed their Pokémon in Norman's greenhouse for the reception, but somehow Blaziken managed to escape.

"Blaziken, what are you- oof!" Blaziken seized May in a bone-crushing hug. She could feel the heat radiating from its skin, and hoped that it wouldn't cause her dress to catch on fire.

"_Blaziken, blaze blaze_!"

May managed to free one of her arms and stroked her Pokémon's head comfortingly. "Aw, it's okay, Blaziken. We'll be back before you know it! Just keep an eye on the others for me, 'kay?"

"'_Iken_!" Blaziken released its trainer. It stared at Drew for several moments before backing up to join the crowd of well-wishers.

"Uh, May, I think your Pokémon just threatened me."

Laughing, May took Drew's offered hand and allowed him to hoist her up into the carriage. "Come on, we got a ship to catch!"

The Rapidash trotted away, and their friends waved and called out their goodbyes. May stretched in her seat. "Next stop, Fortune Island!"

Drew smiled, and pulled his wife close to him. "And the rest of our lives."

* * *

><p>Just before they were married, May and Drew purchased a small home outside Vernanturff Town. It had a large yard, perfect for practicing combinations. In truth, the house was more of a symbol than a place to live, since they would be traveling often. However, after two months of vacationing on Fortune Island, the newlyweds were more than happy to get home and begin to settle in. May pulled a framed photograph from a box of Contest memorabilia. "Hey, Drew, remember this? It's when you won the Johto Grand Festival!"<p>

"Of course I do. I was there, remember?"

"Sorry. It just seems like such a long time ago." May carefully placed the photo back in the box. "Wow, it's my old recipe for May's Purple Surprise! I thought I lost this years ago."

Drew appeared behind May and snatched the piece of paper away from her. "I'll take that."

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"In case you don't remember, May, every Pokémon that ate you Pokéblock was sick for days."

"That's not true! Munchlax liked it."

"Munchlax likes anything that's even close to edible."

"Ugh! You're the worst!"

"Am I?" Drew wrapped his arms around May's waist before she could protest, and began nuzzling her neck.

All thoughts of the recipe immediately left May's head. "We're supposed to be unpacking."

"So?"

"We need to get the house together."

"What better way to break in a new place?"

May felt her resistance crumbling, so she closed her eyes as Drew's kisses trailed down her neck, lingering on her collarbone…

One of the Pokéballs on Drew's belt burst open, releasing his Absol. The white Pokémon did not even glance at May and Drew, but raced out the front door.

The pair stared after it for a moment before May asked, "Since when did Absol start breaking out of its Pokéball?"

"I don't know. Hey, Absol! What are you doing?" They followed it outside, and found Absol sitting at the base of the hill, watching the sky.

"_Absoool_!" It howled.

"Return!" Drew summoned his Pokémon back to its Pokéball with a beam of red light. "What's gotten into you?"

"Drew, look!" May pointed at the sky, where a league of black helicopters suddenly appeared. She squinted at the red logo on their sides. "Isn't… isn't that Team Magma?"

Without warning, the helicopters began to drop missiles down on the peaceful countryside. Even though they were far away from the site of impact, May and Drew felt the ground shake.

"Get in the house, NOW!"

"But-."

"I said GO!" Drew pulled May with him as he raced toward the house as Team Magma rained missiles down on Vernanturff.

"Drew, what's going on?"

"I don't know, but we need to get to the basement, fast!"

"But, my Pokémon-."

"Hurry!" May tore through the boxes, desperately searching for the bag that held her Pokéballs. As she seized that strap, another blast sounded much closer, causing the windows to shake. "Come on!" Drew shoved May into the basement and slammed the door behind them. They could still hear the muffled explosions.

May sat down hard on the cold floor, unable to believe that this was really happening. Drew sat down behind her and held her close, so that she could feel his heart beating through his shirt. She held him just as tight, as their life and all of Hoenn fell to pieces.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? This is my first Pokémon fanfiction, so I'm interested to hear how I did. Review and I'll give you Skitty. Crazy little thing won't leave my shoelaces alone.<strong>


	2. Over the Hills

**Chapter 2**

May sat alone at her kitchen table, staring at the empty seat opposite her. Somewhere in the house, a clocked signaled that it was now 10:00. She took a long, shuddering breath; Drew should have been home an hour ago. She twisted her wedding ring around her finger, a nervous habit she developed since the Team Magma bombing. It had only been a week, but everything had changed. Even though Team Magma had not been seen since the attack, no one would leave their homes. They also raided Mauville City, cutting off communications to the surrounding areas. Everyone was scared, and they had no idea what was going on. Drew had gone down to Mauville to see if he could help out, but it was dark now, and there was no sign of him. May twisted her ring faster and faster. What if something had happened to him? _He has to be okay, he has to! _She thought feverously. _I need him; I can't -_.

The front door slammed, and May froze. There was no other sound from the front hallway. _If that was Drew, he would've said something_. May rose slowly from her chair, taking care not to make any noise. Since Team Magma attacked, May kept her Pokéballs close to her at all times, and she pulled one out. She edged into the dark hallway, where she could barely make out a faint silhouette.

"Wartortle, go!" May's blue turtle Pokémon burst out of its Pokéball. "Use Water Gun!"

"_Wartortle_!" It inhaled deeply, and expelled a large jet of water. The figure at the end of the hall was hit square in the chest and was blown backward, slamming into the front door.

May stepped forward, her fists clenched. Wartortle crouched in front of her, ready to defend its Trainer. "Who are you?"

"May, it's me!"

"Drew?" May ran her hands along the hall, trying to find a light switch. She flipped on the lights, revealing a disgruntled and thoroughly soaked Drew. "Oh my… Drew, I'm so sorry!" May raced to the bathroom, where she grabbed several towels, before rushing back to her husband. "Why didn't you say anything when you came in?

Drew took one of the offered towels. "I thought you might be in bed."

"No, I waited for you."

There was a silence as May watched Drew dry himself off. She waited for him to explain why he was late, but all she got was, "This isn't working. I need to change."

He brushed by her and walked to their bedroom. May stood alone in the hallway, staring at the puddle of water on the floor. Wartortle looked up at its Trainer, concerned. "_'Tortle_?"

May shook herself out of her trance. "I'm fine, Wartortle. Return." She summoned her Pokémon back to its Pokéball, then followed Drew into their room.

The house was mostly empty; May and Drew never got around to unpacking the remainder of their belongings. When May walked into their bedroom, Drew was pulling a fresh shirt over his head. She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him for several moments before finally asking, "Did you get things sorted out in Mauville?"

Drew continued rubbing his damp hair with a towel as he answered, "No. It looks like Team Magma ran off with a couple of relays when they trashed the place. Wattson says it's gonna take him a couple of weeks to replace them."

"Why are you late?" May burst out.

Drew paused before answering. "I ran into Stevan Stone."

"What?" May leaned forward. "But he's the Hoenn League Champion! What's he doing here?"

"He didn't stay long. He just wanted to scout out the area?"

"Why?"

Drew stared at May for a moment, a slightly annoyed expression on his face. "Stone's the leader of the Hoenn Resistance. It's his job to stop Team Magma and Team Aqua, so he was looking for places to fight them?"

"Team Aqua? But I thought Team Magma was the one who got back together."

"They're working together, May. Team Aqua's patrolling the seas to make sure no one gets in or out of Hoenn."

"Oh." May flushed with embarrassment. "I guess that makes sense."

Drew chuckled despite himself. Then his face grew serious once more. "Stone told me that he's sending some of the Resistance down to evacuate the area."

"What?" May leapt to her feet. "Why?"

"It's not safe here. Team Magma could come back at any time."

"Why would they do that? We have nothing they want!"

Drew was surprised by May's outburst. "We have people they can recruit. Come on May! If people are scared that they'll be attacked, they'll join them just to keep their families safe."

"Well, I'm not leaving!"

"May…"

"This is our home, Drew!"

"Look around you! This isn't a home, it's a hiding place!"

"I don't care! I'm not leaving just 'cause some bigshot thinks it's a good idea. Team Aqua and Team Magma are a bunch of idiots. They'll mess up and the Resistance will get rid of them."

Drew's voice cut sharply over May's tirade. "It's not just them, May."

She glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Team Rocket is working with Team Aqua and Team Magma. Team Galactic is here, too."

May sank slowly back onto the bed. "They're all here?"

"No, they just sent a few of their members over, and Team Magma and Team Aqua probably did the same for them. May, this is happening all over! Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh; they're all being attacked! All the teams are working together so they can take over the world!"

Tears began to make their way down May's face. This was not going to pass by as she hoped it would. "I can't believe this is happening."

Drew's face softened. He sat down next to May and wrapped his arms around her. He murmured in her ear, "You know I won't let anything happen to you."

May scrubbed her eyes furiously. "I can take care of myself, you know."

Drew smiled. "Of course." He kissed her softly, and May accepted the much needed comfort eagerly. He pulled away with a sigh. "The evacuation team will be here in a few hours. Try to get some sleep."

"What about you?"

"I'm gonna gather some things together."

"But you've been working all day! You need to sleep."

"Nah, I'm good. Wattson's Magnetric gave me a pretty good shock earlier. I'm wired."

May watched Drew leave the room before lying back on the bed. She closed her eyes, thinking as she drifted off to sleep: _Drew, I hope you can handle whatever surprises Team Magma throws at us, 'cause I got an even bigger one for you_.

* * *

><p>May felt as if she had been sleeping for only a few seconds before Drew was shaking her awake. "Wha… what? Go away."<p>

"May, we need to leave."

May groaned and rolled over onto her stomach. Almost immediately, bile began to rise in her throat. _No… not now_.

"Are you okay?" May glanced up to see Drew watching her, concerned. She nodded, managing not to puke all over him. "Alright, get dressed. They'll be here soon."

May watched him leave. As soon as the door closed, she was out of bed, running toward the bathroom. She made it just in time. For a few moments, May remained crouched over the toilet, breathing heavily. Then she remembered what was going on. After splashing some cold water on her face, May tore around the bedroom, throwing on a fresh pair of jeans and a tee shirt.

Drew walked in to check on May, and found her rummaging through her dresser. "What are you doing?"

May straightened up, clutching a handful of shirts. "Well, we're gonna need clothes right?"

"Yeah, but I took care of that while you were sleeping."

"Oh." May placed her shirts back in their drawer. "Thanks."

Drew examined May's current outfit, a slightly painful expression on his face. "Umm, what exactly are you wearing?"

May glanced down at her white shirt. "What's wrong?"

Drew pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "It's dark out. Team Magma will be able to see you a mile away."

"Crap!"

"Here." Drew tossed her a black hoodie he had brought in with him.

May caught it, and pulled it over her head. Smiling, she took his hand. "What would I do without you?"

"Now that's a terrifying thought." Laughing, May leaned in to kiss him. Suddenly, a light flashed by their window. Drew gripped May's hand tighter. "That's the signal. Let's go."

* * *

><p>At night, the area surrounding Vernanturff Town was peaceful. Now, the once calm air was thick with fear and tension as May and Drew rushed down the hill. At the bottom, May turned back to face their house. The windows were boarded up, and they pulled bushes in front to hide the place from view. It was no longer a home, just an abandoned dream.<p>

May felt Drew take her hand, and she looked up into his green eyes. "We'll come back," he promised. She found strength in his words, and allowed him to lead her away.

The Hoenn Resistance arranged for the citizens of Vernanturff Town and Mauville City to meet in a small wooded area not far from Vernanturff. May and Drew could see large groups moving towards that area now. Parents were trying to keep their children close to them, constantly looking over their shoulders. Up ahead, an elderly woman stumbled, causing her to spill her belongings all over the ground. A young man had been standing close to the tree line, and he rushed to help her. May watched as he helped the old woman gather her things. When he straightened up, May noticed that he had black hair, and glasses that glinted in the moonlight…

"Max!" May broke away from Drew and ran toward her brother. Max turned at the sound of his name, but was completely unprepared for May's crushing hug. "Thank Arceus you're safe!"

For a moment, Max seemed too stunned to respond. Then he wrapped his arms around his sister and held her just as tight. "May! I thought you had blown up!"

"No, the bombs missed our place. Are Mom and Dad okay?"

"Yeah, they're both fine. Dad's running a base near Slateport."

By this time, Drew had caught up to the siblings. "What do you mean, a base?"

"Hey, Drew! Well, a base is pretty much where the Resistance keeps its fighters. Each one is run by a Gym Leader or a member of the Elite Four. I'm gonna be taking you guys to Brawly's base until we can find someplace safer."

May pulled back from Max, a quizzical expression on her face. "Why are you taking us?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Max thrust his chest out proudly. Sewn onto his jacket was a patch depicting a Rayquaza, a Groudon, and a Kyogre. "I happen to be a member of the Hoenn Resistance."

"You're WHAT?" Passersby jumped at May's sudden scream. "You can't be a member of the Resistance; you're 16!"

Max glared down at his sister. Even though May was four years older, he still towered over her. "Oh, yes I can! Dad said I could!"

"But you're just a kid!"

"May," Drew grabbed May's arm, "You're not in charge of Max. If he wants to fight, let him."

"Ha!" Max stuck his tongue out at May.

May glared at Drew. "Do you want to see him get himself killed?"

"No, but…"

Max interrupted the pair. "Look, as entertaining as this is, can you guys argue someplace else? I gotta help these people out."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Drew rolled his eyes. "Come on May." He pulled her into the woods.

"What the hell was that?"

"What are you talking about?"

May was practically shooting daggers out of her eyes. "How could you take Max's side over mine?"

"I've seen him battle, May. He's good with his Pokémon, and he reacts well to a challenge. Sure, he's a little goofy, but the Resistance is lucky to have him."

May crossed her arms over her chest. "I just don't want to see him get hurt."

Drew wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "He'll be fine. Now take one of these bags, my arm is starting to hurt."

* * *

><p>May and Drew had been walking for about an hour before Max caught up with them. Jogging behind him was a wheezing Wattson. Despite his exhaustion, the elderly Gym Leader managed to crack a joke. "Drew, me boy, it's been so long! Last time I saw you was, oh a few hours ago? Hahaha!"<p>

Max snuck up behind May. "You still mad at me?"

She did not look at her brother, but said, "I'm always mad at you."

Max grinned. "Excellent."

"Where are you taking us anyway?"

"Well, Brawly's base is up in the Rustboro Mountains, so-."

"Wait, we're going to be living in a cave?"

"Nah, it's a lot nicer than that. You'll have a room."

May looked around at the crowd of people surrounding her. "But how is everyone gonna fit? You got people from Vernanturff Town and Mauville City here."

Wattson cut in. "Most of my people are camped out in New Mauville. They'll make sure those Magmas' don't take any of our power."

Drew frowned at Wattson. He had just realized something. "Wattson, aren't you supposed to be running your own base?"

The Gym Leader shrugged. "I'm getting' too old for all this fighting. 'Sides, Brawly knows what he's doing. He's got fighting Pokémon!"

By this time, the group had made their way out of the trees and was climbing up the rocky terrain of the Rustboro Mountains. May adjusted the duffel bag she had slung over her shoulder, about ready to fall over from exhaustion. She slipped, and Drew placed a hand on her back to keep her from falling. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just really tired."

"And?"

"And what?"

Drew glanced at Max and Wattson, who were slightly ahead of them. He lowered his voice. "I know you threw up earlier."

May blushed. "You heard that?''

"You're not the quietest person in the world." Drew brushed a few loose strands of hair away from May's face. "You should probably get checked out when we get to the base."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"I have to worry about you. Otherwise you'd be running into walls."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to shake violently. May was thrown forward by the vibrations, nearly knocking Drew over. "What the…" May stopped mid-sentence. She could see people coming over the hill. People in red outfits.

"It's Team Magma!" Max shouted to two Resistance members traveling up ahead. "Danny, Gwen, get these people out of here!" There was no need for his command. At the sight of Team Magma, the refugees flew into a panic. They rushed down the narrow mountain path, shoving people out of their way in order to escape.

One of the members of Team Magma stepped forward, a Torkoal at his side. "Torkoal, use ember!" The fire Pokémon rained fire down on the terrified civilians.

"No!" Max threw one of his Pokéballs, shouting, "Kirlia, help them!" The green and white psychic Pokémon burst out of its Pokéball. "Use Psychic on the fire and direct it at Team Magma!"

"_Kirliaaa_." Its eyes glowed, stopping the flames in midair before sending them back to Team Magma. Screams were heard as they made contact with both humans and Pokémon.

Max and Kirlia ran towards the screams, followed by Wattson and several other Trainers who decided to fight rather than flee. Much to May's surprise, Drew raced after them. For several moments, May stood alone on the path, too afraid to move. Then her fear turned to anger. These people ruined her life. They forced her and Drew to leave their home, and they threatened her father and brother. Team Magma was going to pay for everything they had done. May grabbed a Pokéball from her belt, and ran after them.

* * *

><p>Team Magma was not fighting a normal Pokémon battle; it was their desire to hurt the Trainers as much as their Pokémon. Trainers were attacked as soon as their Pokémon were unable to battle. May watched in horror at the carnage on front of her. The ground began to shake once again, causing her to fall over. She was not the only one: several Trainers were struck down by the vibrations, and their opponents took full advantage of their sudden inability to fight.<p>

May gritted her teeth angrily, and pushed herself to her feet. _These aren't normal earthquakes_, she thought to herself. _Someone, or something, is causing them! I have to find out who it is and stop them before more people get hurt_. May scanned the battle area, trying to locate the cause of the earthquakes. She spotted a member of Team Magma climbing up the rocks, a Numel close behind him. _Numel is a Ground-type_! Thought May excitedly. _I'll bet that it's causing the earthquakes_!

May tried to follow them, but was stopped by a sudden burst of flame that appeared directly in front of her. The cause of the attack was the Team Magma member with the Torkoal, and they were advancing towards her. The Team Magma Grunt snarled, "Flamethrower, now!"

May barely had time to dodge the fiery attack. As she felt the heat sear across her face, she realized, _He's trying to kill me! I have to fight back_! The flames ceased, and saw her opportunity to retaliate. She threw a Pokéball at her attacker, shouting, "Wartortle, use Water Gun!"

"Iron Defense." Torkoal withdrew into its shell, making Wartortle's attack useless. The Team Magma Grunt laughed. "And now, you will burn!"

"Ice Beam!" A ray of cold, white light burst from Wartortle's mouth, freezing both the Torkoal and its Trainer. May knew the ice would not ask long, but it was enough to let her get away and stop the Numel. She raced after it, Wartortle close behind her.

* * *

><p>May was not the only one who realized that the Numel was causing the earthquakes. Max had seen it and its Trainer sneaking away, and decided to go after them. While May and Wartortle were stuck battling Torkoal, Max and Kirlia followed the pair. They climbed up the rocks, avoiding flame blasts from Team Magma members below them. Kirlia was hit by an Ember attack, and it cried out in pain. The Team Magma member they had been following turned around at the sound, and when he saw Max, he snarled, "Magnitude, Numel."<p>

"_Num_?" The Numb Pokémon blinked slowly, then slammed its foot on the ground. The rock walls surrounding Max and Kirlia crumbled, blocking their path and preventing them from following them.

"Damn it!" Max slammed his fist against the rocks. "How are we gonna get past all this?"

"_Kiiiirlia_." It extended its arm to Max.

"What?" Max took his Pokémon's arm. At once, Kirlia began to glow. With a flash of light, both Max and Kirlia vanished and reappeared on the other side of the rock pile. "Great idea, Kirlia! Now come on, we gotta catch that guy!"

They hurtled up the narrow mountain path, and turned into an open area. The Team Magma member was waiting for them. He sneered at Max, "Do you really think you can beat me kid? I'm Magma Admin Tabitha!"

Max clenched his fists. "You're nothing more than a coward. Kirlia, Magical Leaf!"

Numel was buffeted backward by the glowing leaves Kirlia sent at it. It shook its head, dazed. Tabitha growled, "Snap out of it, Numel! Use Flamethrower!" Numel inhaled deeply and shot a jet of flame at Kirlia.

"Use Teleport to dodge it!" Kirlia managed to vanish just as the flames struck the spot where it had been standing. Numel looked around, trying to locate its target. It failed to notice Kirlia appearing right behind it. Max grinned triumphantly. "Finish it off with Psychic!"

"Numel, use Magnitude, quick!" For a slow-minded Pokémon, this Numel had surprising fast reflexes. It slammed its foot on the ground before Kirlia could complete its attack, knocking the Psychic Pokémon off its feet. "Now do Take Down!" Numel charged at Kirlia, slamming it into the rock wall.

"Kirlia, get up!" Max cried. His Pokémon shook its head, dazed from the sudden attack.

"Finish it, Numel! Flamethrower!" Numel advanced on the fallen Kirlia, blasting it with fire. When it finally ceased its brutal attack, Kirlia had fainted.

"Kirlia, no!"

Tabitha laughed at Max's anguished cry. "I told you, kid; you don't stand a chance against me. Now it's your turn. Take Down, Numel!"

Max was thrown backward by the attack. He glared up at Tabitha, confused and angry. "What the hell are you doing?'

"You think this is one of your Gym battles, kid? This is a war, and in war, you die. Flamethrower!"

"No!" A blast of water hit Numel in the side, knocking it away from Max. Tabitha turned to face the intruder. It was May, her face etched with fury. "Stay away from my brother! Aqua Tail, Wartortle!"

"'_Toooooortle_!" It leapt into the air, slamming its tail down on Numel with a burst of water.

Numel staggered backwards, weakened by Wartortle's water attacks. Tabitha cried out angrily, "Get it with Take Down, Numel!"

Numel charged at Wartortle, but May was ready for it. "Wartortle, jump in the air to dodge it!" Her Pokémon jumped at the last second, causing Numel to slam into the rocks it had been standing in front of. "Let's finish it while it's dazed. Rapid Spin and Water Gun!" Wartortle withdrew into its shell and began to spin, jets of water shooting out of the holes in its shell. It slammed into Numel; the combined attacks were too much for the weakened Pokémon, and it fainted.

"Yes! That was perfect, Wartortle!"

While May was battling Tabitha, Max crawled over to his Kirlia and summoned it back to its Pokéball. He was embarrassed that he needed to be rescued by his older sister just after telling her that he could take care of himself. Max shouted at her, "This isn't a Contest, May! Combinations don't matter."

May glared at Max. As relieved as she was to see Max unharmed, she could not believe he was acting this way. "Those attacks just saved your life!"

Tabitha's scream of rage interrupted them. "You fools! You'll pay for this!" He grabbed his remaining Pokéballs and prepared to launch them at May and Max. "You'll pay with your lives!"

"Arm Thrust, Hariyama!" The massive fighting Pokémon appeared out of nowhere, striking Tabitha down. Max and May whirled around to face their rescuer.

"Brawly!"

The Dewford Town Gym Leader nodded to Max in acknowledgement, but did not take his eyes off Tabitha. He pointed at the Magma Admin, declaring, "You wanna fight, man? Try me!"

Tabitha snarled, but even he knew better than to challenge Brawly. Hoenn Resistance reinforcements were appearing on the horizon, outnumbering Tabitha. He grappled to remove something from his belt, hiding the movement beneath his cape. "This isn't over."

"Get 'em, men!" Brawly and his fighters charged at Tabitha, but he was ready for them. Whipping his hand out from behind his back, Tabitha launched a smoke bomb in their faces, filling the air with black smoke. By the time the air cleared, Tabitha was gone. Brawly frowned. "Well that sucks. Ah well, let's trash the rest of them while we can!" As his troops raced down the rocky slopes, Brawly turned to Max and May before following them, saying, "You guys head to the base; we'll meet ya there."

Max breathed a sigh of relief. "Talk about timing."

"Yeah. Wait, have you seen Drew?"

"Uh, not since the fighting started."

"Oh, no. Oh, Arceus no."

"May, I'm sure he's okay."

She did not seem to hear. "I gotta go find him."

"But Brawly said to go to the base!"

May spun around, and Max was surprised by the look of fear and anguish on her face. "I'm not leaving Drew here!" she cried. With that, she tore down the mountain path.

Max stood alone for a few moments. Then, swearing under his breath, he ran after his sister.

* * *

><p>The Hoenn Resistance had Team Magma on the run, chasing them away from the refugees and the injured. May scanned the crowd desperately, trying to catch sight of Drew's green hair. She could not bring herself to search the motionless figures on the ground, afraid of what she might find. But Drew was nowhere to be found.<p>

"May," Max grabbed her arm, "Look over there!"

May eyes went to where Max was pointing. At first, she could not see anything. Then, a Flygon rose above a rocky outcrop. It hovered for a few moments, then plunged downward and out of sight. May gasped. "That's Drew's Flygon! Come on, Max."

The pair raced around the battleground. Just before they reached the area where they saw Flygon, they heard a woman scream angrily.

Drew's voice just managed to be heard over her cries. "Are you done yet?"

Max and May peeked out from behind a large rock. Drew was facing a female member of Team Magma, whose face was red with fury as she called her fainted Poochyena back to its Pokéball. Drew's face, on the other hand, was expressionless, radiating a certain power and calmness May had witnessed in his Pokémon Contests. He was in control.

His opponent glared in defiance. "I refuse to be beaten!"

"Really? 'Cause you seem to be pretty good at it."

She snarled, "Destroy him, Slugma!" The largest Slugma May had ever seen burst onto the battlefield. "Flame Burst on the rocks!" Slugma sent blasts of flame at the rocks above Drew and Flygon, causing them to fall. Flygon flew out of the way, but Drew barely avoided being crushed.

May gasped. She tried to go help him, but Max pulled her back down out of sight. "Hold on," he muttered, "I wanna see what he's gonna do."

Drew pushed himself to his feet, calling out to the Mystic Pokémon flying above him. "Sandstorm, Flygon!" Flygon flapped its powerful wings, filling the air with a thick dust, and rendering sight useless.

May squinted, trying to see what was happening. Max chuckled under his breath. "Smart move."

Drew's voice came out of the gloom. "Steel Wing!" Some of the dust cleared with Flygon's sudden movement, allowing May and Max to witness Slugma being knocked into the rocks by Steel Wing.

May watched with wide eyes. "How did he know where it was?"

"Flygon lives in the desert, so it's used to seeing in poor conditions. I had no idea Drew could battle like this!"

May gazed on as Flygon continued to assault Slugma with Steel Wing. "Me either."

"Lava Plume, Slugma! Hurry!" Slugma flexed its molten body, sending fire racing at Flygon. The fire did not seem to affect it as it rose higher into the sky.

Drew called out to his Pokémon. "Finish it, Flygon. Dragonbreath!"

The Lava Pokémon tried to escape, but it was too late. Flygon blasted Slugma with the powerful attack, slamming it into its Trainer. When the dust had completely cleared, Slugma had fainted, and its Trainer was clutching an injured arm. Gritting her teeth through the pain, the defeated Team Magma member managed to call her Slugma back to its Pokéball. She looked up to see Drew standing over her, Flygon at his side. He only said one word: "Run."

Scrambling to her feet, the disgraced girl did just that. She clambered over the rocks, not once looking back. Drew watched her until she was out of sight. Flicking his hair out of his face, he turned around and saw May and Max watching him. "May," he exclaimed, "You're okay!"

May rushed over and hugged Drew. "I was so worried about you!"

"I don't know why, May. Drew can clearly take care of himself." Max ambled over, grinning. "How'd you learn to battle like that?"

Drew shrugged. "I don't know. I just did what I had to do."

Max examined Flygon closely. "I had no idea this Flygon was so strong. I've only seen it in Contests."

Drew summoned Flygon back to its Pokéball, saying, "Just because I do Contests doesn't mean my Pokémon aren't strong." He glanced down at May, but she did not meet his eyes. She seemed wary of him, as if she regretted watching him fight. Drew frowned slightly, but chose to ignore it. "What's going on now?"

"Brawly and the Resistance came to bail us out. We can head over to the base now; it's not that far. Come on!"

Max led the way to the base, Drew and May close behind him. The sun began to make its way over the mountains, casting a warm and comforting glow. It tried to erase the horrific events that occurred in the dark, but such things are not easily forgotten.

* * *

><p>Brawly's base was once a research lab, carved into the solid rock. Brawly expanded the original building to house refugees and soldiers, and collapsed the main entrance to hide it from enemy spies. The only ways in or out were through underground tunnels. The inside of the base was bare rock, with steel beams keeping the roof from collapsing. Bright, electrical lights were strung along the ceiling, and tunnels off the main cave led to training areas and living quarters. Max turned to May and Drew, grinning. "Pretty cool, huh?"<p>

Drew looked around, eyebrows raised skeptically. "Yeah, I guess."

"Well, you gotta look around some to really appreciate it. Come on, I'll give you the tour. Wait 'til you see the-."

"No." May interrupted Max's excited babbling. She was practically asleep on her feet. "No tours tonight, Max."

"Technically, it's morning."

"Whatever! I just wanna sleep."

Max sighed. "Okay." He pointed to one of the tunnels. "Just head down there. Free rooms have a red card on the door."

"Thanks." May and Drew walked down the stone hall. After a while, they came across a steel door with a red slip of paper shoved in the door jam. Drew pushed the door open, revealing a small room. The walls and floor were bare rock, and a bed was shoved into the corner. The only other furniture in the room was a small table with a pair of chairs, and a dresser opposite the bed. A hole in the wall led to a small bathroom, where there was barely enough room for the tiny shower, the toilet, and the sink.

Drew frowned. "It's not much, is it?"

May jumped on the bed, remarking, "As long as there's a place to sleep, I don't care."

Chuckling, Drew dropped their bags on the floor and lay down beside her. He kissed the top of her head. "It doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?"

"Nope." May smiled softly, brushing a clump of hair away from Drew's face. She murmured, "You did a good job. With the fighting, I mean."

"Thanks."

They were quiet for a few moments. Then May asked, "You're gonna join the Resistance, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I think I am."

May sighed. "I wish you wouldn't."

Drew sat up, frowning. "Why not?"

"I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I can help them, May. I know I'm not used to battling, but I'm good at it!"

"I know. I saw you fight today."

Drew's face softened. "Everything's going to be okay."

"I hope so."

"You'll fight with me, won't you?"

May's chest tightened. "I… I can't."

"Why not?" When she did not answer, Drew became angry. Pushing himself off the bed, he glared down at his wife. "What is with you? Ever since Team Magma attacked, you've been moping around, just waiting for someone to come in and save the day. This isn't going to go away on its own! We have to fight! What are you afraid of?"

May sat up, glaring at him. "I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Then why won't you fight with me?"

"Drew…"

"What, May? What's wrong?"

"Drew… I'm pregnant."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that was a fun chapter. I'm surprised by how well the battle scenes turned out. It's not really my forte. I'm sure you got a lot to say, especially about the ending, so click that review button!<strong>


	3. A Maze of Decisions

**Chapter 3**

The room was completely silent. Drew stared at May intently, his brows furrowed. "What did you say?"

"You heard me; I'm pregnant." May watched Drew, waiting for him to say something. But his face was like a rock, his lips pressed together in a hard line.

May started babbling, trying to get him to respond. "It must have happened while we were at Fortune Island. I… I didn't think of bringing of bringing anything along, and… I found out a couple days after the bombing, but you were so stressed, and I didn't want to worry you. But things kept getting worse, and there was never time to talk, and… Please say something!"

But Drew remained silent, his fists clenched tightly as he stared at nothing.

Tears began to form in May's eyes. This was not how she expected him to react. "I'm sorry, Drew! I know things are really bad right now, but… I want this. I want this baby."

Drew snapped out of his revere. He pushed away from May, refusing to look at her. "I'm going for a walk," he said tightly. He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

May flinched at the loud sound. It traveled through her, shattering her heart with its harshness. May buried her face in her pillow, and cried.

* * *

><p>Drew did not know where he was going, and he did not care. He needed to get away from May; he needed to think away from her voice. <em>Why?<em> He thought, _Why now? Why us? _He stopped suddenly, staring at the stone wall. May's voice came drifting back to him:

_I want this baby._

An indescribable wave of frustration rose up inside of Drew. He slammed his fist against the wall. _We can't do this. We're not ready. _He expected that they would want kids at some point, but he thought they would have more time with just the two of them. They talked about traveling to Sinnoh, and maybe trying to compete in Kanto again. Then there was the bombing. Then May got pregnant.

Drew let out a long sigh. What were they going to do? If they ignored the fact that they had only been married for a few months, there was still a war going on. How were supposed to raise a child when they could barely survive on their own?

_Does it matter? _A small voice in the back of his mind murmured. _This is a part of you and May; you have to make this work._

Drew shook his head. _It's not that simple._

_It's the simplest thing in the world. _The voice argued back. _You love May. She loves you. You'll figure this out._

Drew began to pace up and down the hall, gripping his hair in frustration. _How am I supposed to keep her safe? _He thought wildly. _The Resistance needs me; I won't be able to stay with her._

_Selfish. Selfish selfish selfish._

_I'm not being selfish! I need to make sure that my child grows up safe! _Drew stopped abruptly. _My child. Our child. My family. _He was amazed by how much those words meant to him. They never did before. All his life he tried to avoid attachment, but May changed that. Now it was about to change even more. Maybe change wasn't that bad. Maybe… maybe having a baby wouldn't be that terrible.

Drew let out a long sigh, running a hand through his disheveled hair. He had to talk to May; he needed to apologize. But first, he had to figure out how to get back to their room.

* * *

><p>After spending a ridiculous amount of time wandering through the halls, and disturbing the occupants of incorrect rooms, Drew finally managed to locate the room he shared with May. Opening the door partway, he peered inside. May was lying on the bed, her back to the door. Not sure if she was awake or not, Drew edged his way in and closed the door quietly behind him. "May?"<p>

Her voice came back immediately. "What?"

"Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"I wasn't asleep."

Drew's heart sank. Her voice was thick, as if she had been crying, and her back was still to him. He sat down on the bed. "Can we talk?"

"Oh, now you want to talk?" She didn't sound angry, just sad.

"Look, I'm sorry. You just took me by surprise."

"And you think I wasn't surprised when I found out?"

Drew rubbed the back of his neck. "I just needed to think on my own for a bit."

May rolled over to face him. "And what did you think about?"

"That we're not ready for this." May's eyes widened as he went on. "We just got married, and we're in the middle of a war. How are we supposed to raise a kid like this? We wouldn't be able to handle it."

May opened her mouth, but Drew interrupted her. "But I still want to try."

They stared at each other for several moments. Then May began to smile. "Really?"

"Yeah, I do."

May flung her arms around Drew and began kissing him all over his face. Laughing, she asked, "What made you change your mind?"

"You're everything to me. I didn't want to lose you."

"Hmm, so this baby is just a price you gotta pay to keep me from leaving you?"

"That's not what I meant! I just-"

"Relax." Cupping his face in his hand, May smiled at Drew. "Like it or not, you're never getting rid of me."

Drew kissed her. "I guess I'll just have to suffer through it."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the short chapter, but I felt that you guys deserved an update after that cliffhanger. Also, many apologies for not posting sooner; my muse took a vacation. But now it's back (with a very nice tan) and ready to work! I also made this story a school assignment, so my grade if affected by how much I write. That means more update (I hope). Review and you get a rock. Why? 'Cause rocks are cool.<strong>


	4. Trial Through Fire

**Chapter 4**

Drew opened his eyes for a moment, closed them, then shot them wide open. For several seconds, he stared about him, trying to figure out where he was. Then he remembered: Team Magma had bombed their home, and they had been relocated to the Rustboro Mountains.

May shifted next to him, letting out a soft sigh. Drew pulled her hair away from her neck and kissed it, murmuring, "Good morning."

She rolled over onto her side so that she was facing him. Brushing a strand of green hair out his eyes, she smiled at him. "'Morning."

Drew kissed her again. "Have I ever told you how wonderful you are in the morning?"

The smile on May's face suddenly disappeared. "Hmm. Could you hold that thought?"

She climbed out of bed and made her way across the room. Drew stared after her, confused. "What is it?"

May ducked into the small bathroom. "Just give me a minute!" Almost immediately after saying that, she started throwing up.

Drew sat up, alarmed. Then he remembered; May was pregnant. He called out, "Do you need any help?" When he received no response, he laid back down and stared up at the ceiling.

He heard the toilet flush, and the sound of water running. May came out, her face pale. When she saw Drew, she scowled. "Comfortable?"

"Why, yes, thank you."

"Still think I'm wonderful?"

"Always."

May's facial expression softened. "You could be more helpful, you know."

"What am I supposed to do? Follow you around with a bucket?"

"Moral supports always works."

"Huh. That doesn't sound too terrible."

Rolling her eyes, May climbed back into bed. Drew was muttering under his breath. "There, there. It will be all right. Yeah, that's not too difficult."

"You're an idiot."

"Hey, you're the one who married me."

"It was a moment of weakness." Drew wrapped his arms around May, and she snuggled up against him. "What are you gonna do today?"

"I need to talk to Brawley, for starters. See what he wants me to do."

"You still planning on joining the Resistance then?"

"I don't see any reason why I shouldn't."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know. Try poking around the base; I'm sure you'll find something. Do they have knitting circles around here?"

May elbowed Drew in the ribs, and he laughed. "I'll find something productive to help out with after I wake up from my nap."

"You're going back to sleep? But you just got up!"

"You try being pregnant; it's exhausting."

They were silent for a while. Then May asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Fighting in the Resistance."

"It's the right thing to do."

"Well, yeah, but why else?"

"There's nothing else."

"Drew…"

Drew was silent, then admitted, "I want to make sure you and the baby will be safe."

"Really?" May was beaming at him.

"Don't make a big deal out of it." Drew groaned.

"Too late." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered, "You don't have to leave right now, do you? Brawley can wait."

Drew responded by shifting so that May was on her back, and he was hovering over her. "I don't see any reason to leave just yet."

* * *

><p>About an hour later, Drew was wandering the halls, searching for the Dewford Town Gym Leader. Most of the people who arrived with him and May last night were also up and about, and Drew noticed that they were carrying luggage with him. He followed the crowd, and they led him to the main cavern. Drew was surprised to see that they were leaving the base. He noticed Brawley standing in the corner, and made his way over to him.<p>

Brawley was watching the refugees leave. He greeted Drew, "How's it goin'? You're Drew, right?"

"Yeah. What's going on?"

"We're sendin' these people up north, to Tate an' Liza."

"Why aren't they staying here?"

"Most of 'em got families, or don't feel like fightin'. We decided that Tate an' Liza would run a base specifically for refugees, so that's where they're headed." Brawley glanced at Drew. "You stayin'?"

"Yeah, I figured I could help out."

"Good for you, man!" Throwing an arm around Drew's shoulders, Brawley led him down an unfamiliar tunnel. "What Pokémon do you got?"

"Well, I've had Roserade for a long time. There's also Absol, Masquerain, Butterfree, Flygon, Jumpluff, and Hitmontop."

Brawley nodded approvingly. "I saw your Flygon in action; we could use some aerial power. Now, you're a Coordinator, right?"

"Yeah, but I've seen my share of battles. I can handle myself."

"Hey, I ain't judgin' you, man. We need all the help we can get."

The pair entered a large cave, where Trainers and their Pokémon were practicing battle moves. Brawley frowned at a pair with a Golduck and a Swalot. "Why don't you set up over there? I'm gonna go help those two, then I'll be with you." He dashed off.

Drew dropped the bag containing his Pokéballs on the floor. Deciding that he would show Brawley Roserade's skill in battle, he opened the bag. As he was searching for its Pokéball, he noticed something strange. He had seven Pokémon, yet there were eight Pokéballs in his bag. He pulled out the extra one. No, this definitely was not his. Curious, he tossed it into the air. There was a flash of white light, and a scowling Blaziken appeared before him.

* * *

><p>By the time May woke up from her nap, she was starving. She had been too tired, and preoccupied with Drew, to search for the cafeteria earlier, and now she was regretting it. Hastily throwing on a pair of fresh clothes, May rushed out the door, almost knocking over Max.<p>

"Hey, sis!" Max grabbed her as she went past. "Where are you going?"

"To find food. I didn't have breakfast yet."

"You missed a meal? The world must be ending!"

"Oh, shut up. Where's the food?"

"But it's almost lunch. Why didn't you eat earlier?"

May flushed. "None of your business!"

"But what could be so interesting that-." Max paused. He noticed May's red face and her refusal to look at him. He made a face. "Seriously? You guys are gross."

"Oh, grow up."

"Can't keep your hands off each other for ten seconds, can you?"

"Max!" May swung at him, but he easily dodged. "Just tell me where the food is!"

"Down the hall, third right, second door on the right."

May flung her arms around him. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She rushed down the hall.

"Hey, where's Drew?"

May called over her shoulder, "He went looking for Brawley! If you see him, ask him if he liked my surprise!"

Max continued down the hall, muttering, "If her surprise is something perverted, me and Drew are gonna have to have a talk."

* * *

><p>At the moment, Drew and his "surprise" were glaring at each other. Drew had no idea what Blaziken was doing here, but he was certain that May had something to do with it. He and the Blaze Pokémon had never really gotten along; it was very protective of May, and resented her closeness with Drew.<p>

Drew figured he might as well try to communicate with it. Maybe it knew what was going on. "What are you doing here?"

Blaziken just stared at him.

Drew tried again. "Did May make you do this?"

It jerked its head in a sharp nod.

"You're not going to talk to me, are you?"

It nodded.

Drew let out a sigh. "Great."

Max entered the training area. Spotting Drew, he made his way over to him. As he got closer, Drew could hear him laughing. "I'm guessing this is May's surprise. Much better than what I thought it was."

Drew shot him a look. "What did you think she was talking about?"

"You don't wanna know." Max glanced at the pair. "So are you guys just gonna stare at each other until someone's eyes fall out?"

"Pretty much." Blaziken nodded.

"Okay then." Max watched them for a few moments. "Why isn't May using Blaziken?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Without taking his eyes off Blaziken, Drew answered, "Because she's pregnant."

"WHAT?" Max's outburst was so loud that a Hoothoot fell out of the air in fright. "Are you kidding me? Dude, she's my sister!"

"Dude, she's my wife."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

Drew shrugged. "Why don't you go ask her?"

Max stormed out of the cave, fuming with indignation. Drew directed his attention back to the Fire-Fighting Pokémon standing in front of him. Blaziken might as well been smiling earlier compared to how it was glaring at him now. Drew let out a sigh. "Look, you don't like me, I don't particularly like you. Fine. But May clearly wants you to work with me, so just try to do what I tell you and we'll get along fine. Okay?"

The fire encircling Blaziken's wrists flared, and it shot steam out of its nostrils.

"I'll take that as a 'no.'" Drew turned away. He failed to notice Blaziken taking aim at him.

* * *

><p>Even though the food in the cafeteria was not of superb quality, May was so hungry that every bite tasted like it had been made by Arceus itself. She was digging into a plate of eggs when Max came in. He walked over to May's table, and stared at the pile of empty plates beside her. "You do realize that we need to save our food, right?"<p>

"Oh. Sorry about that. You want some?"

Max shook his head and slid into the seat across from her. May noticed that he was not looking at her, and he was fiddling with his hands, like he always did when he was nervous or preoccupied. Figuring that he would tell her what was bothering him when he felt like it, May asked, "How's Drew and Blaziken doing?"

"They're involved in a staring contest to the death."

"Oh. That bad?"

"Yeah. It's pretty funny, though." Max paused. "You could've asked him if he even wanted to use Blaziken."

"Maybe, but he would've said no. Those two need to learn to get along, whether they want to or not."

"Still, you should've talked to him. That's what people do; if something important is going on, they let the people they care about know."

May looked up from her food, surprised. Max's voice had tightened, and his hands were twitching even more. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." They were quiet. Then Max burst out, "When were you going to tell me that you're pregnant?"

"What? Did Drew tell you?"

"Yes, and that's my point! You didn't tell me, and I'm your brother!"

"Hey, calm down! I just told Drew last night, I haven't been able to tell anyone else. Mom and Dad don't even know yet."

"So, you were going to tell me?"

"Of course!"

"Okay then." Max leaned back in his chair, satisfied. Then he began to giggle.

May stared. "What's so funny?"

Still laughing, Max said, "You're gonna get fat."

Three seconds later, Max was picking egg out of his hair, and May had stormed off. _Poor Drew_,Max thought. _Imagine being married to someone with no sense of humor_.

* * *

><p>When May got back to her room, she was surprised to see Blaziken there. "Hey. What are you doing back already?"<p>

"_Blaze blaziken_._ Blaze_."

May's jaw dropped. "You set Drew on fire? Why?"

Drew came out of the bathroom, his clothes singed. He glared at the tall red Pokémon. "I'll tell you why. Your Pokémon is nuts!"

Blaziken crouched down into a fighting stance. "_Blaaaziken_!"

"Alright, that's enough!" May summoned Blaziken back to its Pokéball. She glared at Drew. "Did you even try to get along?"

"I did, but Blaziken just hates me!"

"No, it doesn't. You two just need to spend more time together."

Drew let out a snort of disbelief. "Why did you give it to me anyway?"

"Blaziken's seen a lot of battles. I thought you could use the help."

"I don't need help. My Pokémon are perfectly strong!"

"I know, but it seems like such a shame to keep Blaziken cooped up when it could be helping."

"Well, thanks, but no thanks. I prefer to use Pokémon that won't attack me when my back is turned."

"Well, how about Glaceon? Or maybe-."

"May! Seriously, I don't need to use any of your Pokémon! I'm fine."

"I just want to help."

Drew hugged her. "I know, and I appreciate that. Did you talk to Max yet?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks for the warning, by the way."

"Sorry. I thought you told him."

May studied his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Yes, there is. Your eyebrows are all scrunched together. Tell me."

"Just… something Brawley mentioned, and I've been thinking about it."

"What?"

Drew shook his head. "You'll get mad."

"I'll get mad if you don't tell me. Now, what is it?"

Drew sighed. "There's a base up north for families and people who don't want to fight…"

"So?"

"And I want you to go there. Without me."

* * *

><p><strong>Another cliffy! I'm so mean to you guys. I hoped you enjoyed this fast update. And the Hoothoot. I'm particularly proud of the Hoothoot. Review and I'll give you Blaziken. Hopefully it will be nicer to you than it is to Drew.<strong>


End file.
